The Federal Government says the celebration of this year’s October 1 independence day would be on a low key due to the mood of the nation.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume who announced this on Thursday to unveil activities of the 64th Independence Day celebration, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware of and sympathised with all Nigerians over the economic conditions they were passing through, hence the reason for a low key celebration.
This would be the second time in a row that the nation’s independence would be celebrated on a low key. Last year’s 63rd independence anniversary was low-key with Senator Akume, saying then that foreign leaders would not be invited, owing to the economic realities in the country.
The SGF said this was approved by Tinubu.
Akume explained that the unavoidable policy choices including the removal of fuel subsidies, was responsible for the current state of the economy of the nation.
He said efforts were being made to cushion the immediate impact and to create new opportunities on the short, medium and long term basis, through diligent implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Akume said the president has initiated the Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG) and launched the first phase of thirty buses powered by hybrid Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and gave priority to the growth of the economy through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to cushion the effect of the policies.
